Some or the other time you may have experienced the problem of your emails not being delivered to all those holding Hotmail accounts with the following error message:
“Remote host said: 550 SC-001 (BAY0-MC2-F24) Unfortunately, messages from xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx weren’t sent. Please contact your Internet service provider since part of their network is on our block list. You can also refer your provider to Sign In/troubleshooting.aspx#errors.“
There are two reasons for this to happen: (1) either your account is compromised and suffered with SPAMing; or (2) your IP is blacklisted in ESP server. Hotmail uses the SPAM filters based on the recommendation of SmartScreen Filter – a Microsoft Technology – and each incoming email has to successfully pass through this filter in order to reach to its destination. These filters are developed to easily identify legitimate emails Vs SPAM. Needless to say that this is done with a view to curb SPAMing activity. But for a genuine user, failing to send important emails to their hotmail account holder is certainly a scary experience.
Steps you can take to prevent this
(1) You can create a SPF record for your domains
Obtaining SPF (Sender Policy Framework) records for your IP address always helps you to enhance the reputation of your IP address. This technology allows SmartScreen filters to better track emails from your IP and weed out spoofed emails. It always keeps a track of those who are allowed to send emails from a particular domain which has set up an SPF record in its DNS.
(2) Always ensure a ‘strong’ password for your email account
The whole reason to attack an email account is to use the abused account for SPAMing and Spoofing. And keeping a weak password or sharing the email password with all makes this task easier for the invaders.
(3) Do’s and Don’t
(i) Do not keep simple and easy-to-guess password of your mail account;
(ii) Avoid sharing password among your group. In case, the time demands, then make sure that once the task is complete, you immediately change the password of your account.
(iii) Avoid password of either consisting of plain text Or of easy-to-guess digits, it should always be a combination of both in addition to placing one/two special characters.
(iv) Do not exchange account information via live chat or using mobile.
(v) Do not provide any sensitive information including your account password via email whom you do not know.
(vi) Change your password immediately, if you notice any unusual activity in your mail account.
(vii) Change your password immediately, if you receive any intimation from your friends if they have received some funny links and contents from your emails, that in no probability you may have sent.
(viii) Cultivate a habit of changing your password periodically.
Proactive action always help us to avoid any unwanted situation.
